They had not spoken since leaving Polis. When Clarke started to slow her pace, Bellamy found a place to stop and dropped his pack. He wondered off to gather firewood without a word. They seemed to function in that manner since the incident in Polis. Clarke had spoken privately with Lexa before they left and did not offer any information to Bellamy regarding what was said.

Now here they sat, in the uncomfortable silence of their own making.

"I'm glad you came to your senses Clarke, "he said playing with the fire as he sat across from her.

"What makes you think I'm not going back," she asked sharply.

His head dropped in irritation, "because you're not an idiot" he said flatly while looking up at her.

She shrugged.

His head tilted, his eyebrows drawing together and eyes narrowing. "You can't be serious."

She looked up at him, "it doesn't concern you let it go" she said coldly. His head lifted up, his face relaxing. He sucked in the side of his cheek as he contemplated her words.

Suddenly, he stood and walked over to her, she jumped to her feet, ready for a fight. He stopped briefly, an amused look forming on his face. After he had got his fill of her defensive stance, he continued on, sauntering to her. When he was only a foot away from her, she matched each of his steps forward with a step backward. He continued stalking toward her slowly until she backed herself into a tree. He leaned in, his lips hovering over her, his eyes gazing into hers.

"Is that what you want?" he asked her firmly, staring deep into her eyes. She licked her lips and stood up as tall as she could at the moment. Her eyes meeting his glare. He looked down as she licked her lips and he smiled. "Is it really what you want?" he pushed returning his eyes to hers.

Her breathing became heavy, but her eyes remained affixed to his in a glare. He waited a moment before continuing. "I think you want something else entirely." He said closing the distance between their bodies. Their clothes touching, but that was all. He looked down at her lips then back to her eyes. "Don't you" he whispered into her ear.

Her body betrayed her as it trembled before him. Her eyes remained filled with the same intensity but her body…..her body was giving in. She could feel his fingertips lightly brushing over her hip. She swallowed hard trying to regain control of her body. Her breaths were becoming more ragged by the minute. She whimpered as she felt his soft touch skate up her side.

He knew exactly what effect he was having on her, and he reveled in it. Strong and stubborn Clarke was before him, trembling for his touch, his kiss. The sight excited him more than he thought possible. For the first time, he was able to draw out their encounter. His fingers and eyes slowly lingering over her absorbing the seduction at the moment. Instead of being overpowered by the physical lust he flourished in the emotional aspect as well.

"What is it, Clarke? What do you want?" he whisper into her ear as he his hands skimmed the front of her hip. A moan escaped her lips and she felt her knees buckle as his words traveled through her. He pressed his body into hers to keep her upright. She could feel his him pressing between her thighs.

Her head was hanging loosely to the side, she was melting into him. Time froze between them as the provocative lust increased.

"Tell me Clarke" he whispered as his lips hovered above the nape of her neck, he pushed himself harder between her thighs. Another moan escaped her lips and she fought hard to control her breathing. Her leg lifted around him, opening her more to him. He moved his lips up to hers, barely grazing them then pulling back; he repeated it then pulled back his eyes meeting hers.

They stood there, gazing into one another before she finally whispered, "Take me." In less than a second his lips crashed onto hers. He hungrily kissed her, his tongue rolling over hers. She moaned in his mouth nearly driving him over the edge. He pushed his hips into her, bending to grab her legs and pull her around him. He tore his mouth from hers, hungrily kissing her neck. When his mouth latched with the nape of her neck, his teeth scraped over it causing her moan his name and roll her hips into him. His lips returned to hers both starving for more of the other. He dropped her legs down and yanked her pants and underwear off in one swoop. She kicked her way out of them and pulled at his belt. As soon as she frees him he wrapped her legs around him again. He kissed her hard and forcefully then plunged into her. "Fuck" he breathed onto her neck. She arched her back to meet him. Her hips bucking fiercely as he remained still inside her. He looked back at her and took her mouth into his as he thrust hard into her. He continued, harder and faster until she screamed his name clawing the skin on his back as she climaxed. He came with her, digging his fingers into her hips.

He pushed into her a few more times before he slowly pulled out of her. He released her legs and brought his hands to the sides of her face. Leaning over he gently kissed her bruised lips and nudged her nose with his. He kissed her again, but this time she tastes different….salty.

He pulled back and looked up at her, his smile fading. Tears streaked down her face, but she kept her eyes closed. He pulled her into his arms hugging her tightly. His heart breaking with every tear she cried. "Did I hurt you?" he asked quietly as she sobbed. She shook her head. He pulled her back so he could look at her, his hands cupping her face. "What is it?" he asked gently.

"I can't do this Bellamy" she whispered pushing on his chest. His heart dropped, but his body held strong against her.
"Clarke" he breathed
"No!" she snapped pushing harder against him. She continued to push then eventually squirmed away from him. He caught her arm, refusing to let her run.

"Clarke, talk to me."

"No" she struggled against him, but he was relentless.

"No, you're not gonna run- tell me what's wrong?" He demanded

"Bellamy, let me go" she ordered twist and yanking her arm to free herself.

He glared at her as he withstood her feeble attempts to break free. "Is it Lexa?" he glowered, "are you…do you…" he couldn't find the words, he didn't want to find them. He didn't want to hear them, nor did he want to hear her answer if it was due to Lexa. "Is it her?"

Clarke continued to struggle, "No" she replied fiercely.

"Then what is it?" he demanded yanking her arm, forcing her against him. Clarke's eyes shot up to his, she paused briefly before replying.

"I don't want to destroy you" she whispered

"Clarke" he sighed, his eyes softening as he looked back at her seeing her vulnerability in the moment. She shook her head violently. "No Bellamy"

He wrapped his strong arms around her and drew her into him, hugging her tightly. She fought against the embrace briefly but inevitably gave into him. "I can't let anything happen to you" she whispered softly into his chest.

"Nothing's going to happen to me" he reassured her, squeezing tighter against his chest.

"It happens to all of them," she said pushing away from him. He released her and watched as she walked back to the fire. The squeezing pressure in his chest intensified as he the encounter they had just had was washed away by her pushing him away….again.

He waited silently, hoping she would continue….explain to him. Clarke was shutting down, though and had no intention of enlightening him any further.

Bellamy felt too exposed emotionally, he was too afraid to push her to elaborate. He just stood there….his feet unwilling to move, his heart too afraid to speak.

Clarke could feel him behind her; it tore at her chest to push him away. She wanted him to sit down and forget what happened, but he didn't. She sat quietly until the urge to speak consumed her and she stood and turned back to him.

"I won't be the reason-"

"Stop!" he snapped at her cutting off her explanation. Clarke's mouth snapped shut as her eyes glassed over. "Bel-"

"Stop Clarke!" he snapped again. He raked his hand through his dark curly locks, "just stop" he breathed as his gaze dropped to the ground.

It was a while before he dared look at her again, but when he did, there was a look in his eyes that Clarke had never seen before. A glimmer of something unknown, a passion driving unspoken words. She was drawn to him as she slowly closed the gap between them. Her hand grazed his cheek as she studied the intensity of his stare.

This was it. She could feel it.

If she pushed him away again….he wouldn't come back.

That what was in his eyes. A mixture of determination and pleading, hope and desperation. She had pushed him one time too many and he had reached a breaking point.

The forming of tears stung her eyes as she contemplated the weight of her decision. The unforeseen and irrevocable cost of what would happen is she continued.

She knew what she should do.

What she needed to do.

But there was too strong a pull and she was unable to walk away. Unable to turn her back on the man that had done everything to save her, to protect her. The man that had always stood by her side even through their differences. The man that had never once looked at her differently after the tragical destruction that lay in her wake.

"Bellamy" his name rolled off her tongue like silk. It was the most natural word in the world to her. A name she had called out in fear…in anger…in pain…and in passion.

His face softened, begging for her. Her hand moved to the back of his neck. Her head fought every inch of her heart as she closed the distance between them. She watched as Bellamy struggled against the relief he wanted to feel. He wouldn't allow himself that pleasure until she said it. He knew her too well, and her good-byes could be devastatingly brutal on him.

Clarke's eyes drifted to his lips. Those lips had kissed her with such passion and need before. Those lips that could call her name so softly one moment could be so hard against hers the next.

She leaned up, barely brushing her lips with his. The need to know how soft those lips could be if the moment weren't torn by desire gravitated her to them. He kissed her softly. He wouldn't let his passion get the better of him this time. It was her choice, and if she chose to go….he wanted to give her one last kiss.

The kiss was filled with everything they had shared, all of the hurt and anguish, betrayal, and trust…..love. Yes, love. Clarke gave herself to him, all of her. She relinquished the fears she previously held onto and reveled in his lips and tongue. There was no war, no grounders, no Earth….just them. The realization rained down on her that all she needed was him. It had always been Bellamy. She had been too afraid to admit it, too stubborn to give into it.

Not anymore. She needed him just as much as he needed her. Their lives were never complete without the others presence. Nothing would ever be easy for them, but knowing that there was someone to share the burdens with…to alleviate the guilt and pain…what more could they ask for?

They had been sent into a living hell and survive….together. Bellamy had pulled Clarke from the hell she had created within herself, and she had saved him from a selfish war. They had so many differences between them, but that could never tame the devotion they had to each other.